2008 President's Statement
 |
Seiji Nakajima, President Junior Chamber International Osaka |
Let's build "Osaka - City of Close Bonds"!
- Towards the Era of New Advancements Recognizing One's Own Roles
Introduction
Osaka used to be called the "kitchen of the country" during the Edo Era (1603 - 1867). Those
days, nothing else enriched citizens' daily lives but the relations among people and between people and
the city. With their self-awareness that it was doubtlessly their responsibility to create the city with
their own hands, they developed local communities based on deep bonds they had among the people. Their
projects included constructing "Yodoyabashi" bridge and running private schools. However, after
the war the increasing number of people regretfully began to take selfish actions and make selfish comments
to benefit only themselves without considering others' benefits. Such a trend is against the true sense
of "individualism" that respects one's own individual rights and freedom while considering
others' rights as well.
Human beings are the creatures who can't live alone once they're born in this world. The city where we
live on a daily basis also exists based on how people are related to each other. What is truly needed
now in Osaka is not a superficial relationship but a "Close Bond", to be developed beyond concerns
for individual advantages, among people and between people and the city. A real "Close Bond" will
never perish. We need to be aware of our relations with others and should realize that we're influenced
by others as much as we're influencing them. When we start acting and commenting in recognition of the
importance of such relations, the relations will be further deepened. By understanding each other's situations
and trusting each other, we can create bonds between parents and their children, among friends, colleagues
in our work place and people in local communities.
When we are tied to each other with a bond that grows beyond concerns for individual advantages, a natural
feeling grows strong inside ourselves for doing something good for the other party. Should the city be
filled with people who want to do something good for others under this "Close Bond", there
will be caring and supporting relations among people at anytime in anyplace. The city of Osaka then will
be certainly reborn, entering a new stage where the people can feel kind and warm concerns not only from
their neighborhoods but also from the local governments. The new relations will grow among people, between
people and local communities, corporations and local communities, and adults and children.
A bond may generate only a small thought, but it will be deepened and start influencing each other. It
can grow into a strong force that can change people's consciousness and actions to make the country or
even the world a better place. A wave of revolution starts with a light in each person's heart, either
for an organization of 50 people or a nation of 100 million people. Being youthful and passionate members
of the JCI Osaka, our mission is to connect each light held in each person, grow it to a large flame
by enhancing relations among people and between people and local communities while leading the city of
Osaka into a new stage.
In 2008, the JCI Osaka is determined to fill the city with lights held in the hearts of everyone, who
make up this city. We'll intensify the "Close Bonds", like a rising fire, which will encourage
everyone to do something good for the other party.
Let's create a citizens' city, connected with "Close Bonds"!
When trying to create a city of "Close Bonds" in a democratic society today, it is first
essential for the people to understand their roles not as "residents" but as "citizens" and
faithfully carry out the duties and responsibilities. Instead of expecting to receive good services as
a resident in a city, we as the sovereign need to actively find the problems our city is confronted with,
think over possible solutions, and take action. On the other hand, the government administrations and
parliaments should be aware that they're expected to act reflecting their voters' trust. It is crucial
for citizens, who are connected among each other with "Close Bonds", to understand their roles
and create a better city by themselves in order to bring citizens' autonomy into reality.
There are 3 core parties involved to make up a city: the sovereign, government administrations and parliaments.
When each core party faithfully carries out its roles, the city of Osaka will be radiant and demonstrate
its vibrant energy. We, the JCI Osaka, will sort out the relations among the 3 core parties, examine
the roles to be played by each party and build a firm framework that will lead us to a promising future.
In the meantime, "corporate citizens" are expected to play a larger social role than individual
citizens in view of the larger scale of influence they generate. In the old days, Osaka merchants carried
out the spirit of "benefiting 3 parties" (sellers, buyers and communities), which was conveyed
by "Oomi (presently Shiga Prefecture near Kyoto)" merchants. This was because these merchants
well understood the importance of peopleﾕs relations and cherished them.
In Osaka today, people are carrying the genes of such merchants in their hearts. In modern society where
social responsibilities are becoming the world's required standard, the same spirit of "benefiting
3 parties" should involve "citizens", "communities" and "philosophy" in
consider
Let's build "Close Bonds" between adults and children!
In today's society, urbanization is advancing and families are growing smaller in size. It is becoming
difficult for the people in a local community and neighborhood to get involved in children's education.
However, there is an African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child." It is essential for adults
all together in a local community to interface with a child. Should children be raised as "treasures
for the future", we can develop a city of "Close Bonds".
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology issued a report in 2005, based on
the research conducted by the Study Group on Scientific Elucidation of Emotions and Actions, and Its
Application to Education. The report points out the necessity for children to develop communication
ability as well as the ability to adapt to society. Children are just like our own images reflected in
a mirror. We, as adults, must rectify our own behaviors, show good examples and convey a message to the
children that human beings are not living alone but living with many relations to others. First, it is
critical for adults to be aware of our own existence as residents in a local community and recognize
different values among the people. We must acknowledge the meanings of what is right and wrong, justice
and equality, and show children how we're coping with social problems. Children then begin to understand
how they are related to others and their local communities by watching the adults' way of life.
Furthermore, it is important to define relations between businesses and local communities. We should
show children that earning money through business is not all for the purpose of making a profit without
caring for others and that business exists by dealing with local communities. The children can learn
that the business exists as part of the ties developed in the local communities.
It is our mission to pass on the power to live by connecting each other in society with "Close Bonds".
Without separating education from society and businesses, we can share our various experiences with children.
Let's create local communities tied with "Close Bonds"!
The ties among people and between the people and a local community grow stronger when they share the
root of its unique history and culture. Such strong ties further grow and develop "Close Bonds".
Each local community has its own history that has naturally fostered an original culture. People who
reside and work in the local community have their own histories reflecting their lives. When the histories
of the local community and people are accumulated together, a "magnetic field" will be formed. People
will gather in the "magnetic field" as it is characteristic to the local areas and attract the people.
What represents the history and culture of a local community? Festivities unique to each area, cultural
assets and traditional architectures are part of what represent the history and culture. The city of
Osaka still has many of these today. When we re-explore the resource of the power in our time, which
was passed on by many people, we can initiate new factors and bring them into the "magnetic field".
Collecting each person's history, who resides and works in a local community, will lead us to explore
the history of the local community. By focusing on each person's history, each person can be come the
main character representing the local community. If we can uncover each person's unique history and bring
together many of them as the main characters of various local communities, the communities in the entire
region will become more attractive.
Thus, it is essential to uncover the histories of the people and local communities, integrate them with
new factors to reinforce the "magnetic field" in each local community, and develop the environment
that allows the "magnetic field" to be passed on. During the Edo Era (1603-1876), there was
a system called"Care Taking of Properties", which managed properties on behalf of absent landowners.
Today, we need a system for "Care Taking of Local Communities", which is responsible for the
management and succession of the local communities. Only by growing people's ties into a power of succession,
can we intensify the power of our local communities and significantly advance the city of Osaka.
Let's accumulate our experiences and efforts!
The activities of the JCI Osaka are not for our self-satisfaction but should be the force to better
and enrich society and reform the city of Osaka, even if slowly but surely. The bigger the wave of the
revolution, the more chances we have to pass it on to someone else.
We should not surrender the vision to develop a city with "Close Bonds" as a dream story. Should more
than the 900 active members be tied to each other with "Close Bonds", appreciate each otherﾕs existence,
recognize the importance of the city of Osaka and continue with their efforts, the JCI Osaka shall definitely
realize their dream.
The youth are those who can stand up and challenge difficulties, which may face them like a high wall.
By accumulating new experiences, we can endlessly expand our own potential. When reforming oneself and
tackling the issues seriously with a full heart, it becomes possible to reach beyond the boundary of
Osaka and grab people's hearts around the world. We're determined to consolidate our power and leave
the great wave of revolution in Osaka.
Football games use the terminology, "second effort". It means to make an additional effort for advancement
of even 1 cm even when the team is attacked.
We shall not miss making efforts until the last minute to advance forward for the city of Osaka no matter
what obstacles may confront us. It is the mission for the youth not to stay still but to advance forward,
even one step at a time. If all of our members keep this mission in their minds, our steps will be repeated
continuously and firmly. Our activities are a series of second efforts and will lead us to reach our
dream without fail.
- "It's difficult," says our Common Sense.
- "It's impossible," says our Reason.
- "It's reckless," says our Experience.
- "Try!" says our Dream.
